By John Umeh
In a major breakthrough in the ongoing efforts to secure Nigeria’s educational assessment systems, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force have arrested 20 individuals allegedly involved in a sophisticated cyber-attack on the servers of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). The suspects, who are said to be members of a syndicate specialized in hacking and manipulating Computer-Based Test (CBT) systems, were apprehended across various states following weeks of intelligence gathering and surveillance.
The arrests were made in a joint operation coordinated by the DSS Cybersecurity Unit in collaboration with JAMB’s internal security and the Nigeria Police’s Cybercrime Unit. According to preliminary reports, the suspects allegedly infiltrated JAMB’s systems during the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) cycle, aiming to manipulate scores and grant unfair advantage to candidates who paid large sums for the service.
JAMB’s Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, confirmed the breach attempt during a press conference in Abuja, stressing that no official data was compromised but noting that the attempted attack was a wake-up call. “What we have uncovered is a coordinated attempt by unscrupulous individuals to undermine the credibility of our examination process. Thankfully, due to the vigilance of our security partners, this network has been neutralized before significant damage was done,” he said.
The suspects, aged between 22 and 38, include CBT center operators, software engineers, rogue technicians, and individuals posing as JAMB agents. Some were arrested with laptops, GSM routers, spoofing tools, and other digital equipment used to mimic or reroute official exam data.
Preliminary interrogation revealed that the group used sophisticated phishing methods and proxy rerouting to access backend information from CBT centers. One of the major tactics involved cloning the login credentials of legitimate CBT center administrators to gain access to real-time exam data. From there, they manipulated responses, altered scores, and even offered candidates the possibility of choosing favorable exam centers after registration deadlines.
Security operatives believe that the syndicate has been operating quietly for the past two UTME cycles but became bolder this year due to the increasing demand for score manipulation from desperate candidates and parents. The arrest has drawn widespread reactions from the public, especially among education stakeholders, who have long called for stricter enforcement and cybersecurity enhancements in JAMB’s digital infrastructure.
“This is a reflection of how deeply rooted examination malpractice has become in Nigeria,” said Dr. Joseph Anaba, an education policy analyst. “The fact that some of these hackers worked in or had affiliations with licensed CBT centers shows that we need to scrutinize those entrusted with conducting our national assessments.”
The DSS, in its statement, emphasized that the crackdown is far from over. According to the agency, intelligence reports indicate that more individuals may be linked to the syndicate, including insiders within JAMB’s contractor network. Investigations are ongoing, and further arrests are expected in the coming days.
Meanwhile, JAMB has reassured candidates and the general public of the integrity of its examination process. The board noted that it had activated several layers of system redundancy and monitoring, which helped to detect and stop the intrusion attempt before it could alter any official results.
In light of these developments, JAMB has suspended operations at three CBT centers allegedly linked to the suspects pending the outcome of the investigation. The affected centers have been accused of enabling unauthorized third-party access to JAMB’s database through security loopholes in their local systems.
As part of the cleanup process, JAMB is reviewing its licensing criteria for CBT centers, with the possibility of revoking licenses of those found guilty of compromising examination integrity. The board has also hinted at upgrading its server architecture to include Artificial Intelligence-driven monitoring tools and blockchain-based audit trails to prevent future breaches.
This arrest comes just weeks after JAMB reported isolated cases of biometric identity fraud, where impersonators attempted to sit for exams in place of registered candidates. The latest development further underscores the urgent need to enhance cybersecurity education among all stakeholders—candidates, administrators, and operators alike.
For many students, the exposure of the syndicate offers some relief. “We’ve always suspected that some people manipulated their results because their scores didn’t match their performance in class. At least now we know that the authorities are doing something about it,” said Zainab Lawal, a UTME candidate from Kaduna.
Legal proceedings have begun, and the suspects are expected to be arraigned before a federal court on charges of cybercrime, identity theft, unauthorized access to government data, and examination malpractice. If convicted, they face up to 15 years in prison under the Cybercrimes Act of 2015.
Authorities have urged parents and candidates to resist the temptation of seeking shortcuts and to report any suspicious offers promising exam score upgrades. “We are watching, and we will not relent in our duty to protect the future of Nigerian students,” said DSS spokesperson Peter Afunanya.
With the 2025 UTME cycle nearing its conclusion, the arrests serve as both a warning and a reminder of the importance of integrity in the pursuit of academic success.
